Source:

Sean Wenzel's website

Serves/Makes:10 servings

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 1 cup (225 ml) butter; NO margarine
• 1-1/2 cups (350 ml) sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 1-1/2 tsp (7 ml) lemon rind, grated
• 8 tbsp (125 ml) rum
• 4 tsp (20 ml) baking powder
• 3-1/2 cups (825 ml) unbleached flour, sifted
• Filling:
• 1 cup (225 ml) sugar
• 3/4 cup (175 ml) water
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) rum
• 1 cup (225 ml) butter, NO margarine, unsalted
• Topping:
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) butter
• 1 cup (225 ml) sugar
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) water
• 1 cup (225 ml) almonds, blanched, sliced
• Apricot Glaze:
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) apricot jam

Preparation

• Note: Egg yolks must be beaten into the cake one at a time, so keep the yolks separated from each other.
• Cake:
• Cream butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Beat in egg yolks, one at a time.
• Mix in lemon rind and 2 tbsp (30 ml) rum.
• Sift baking powder and flour together.
• Gently mix into the butter mixture.
• Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry.
• Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
• Pour into a well-greased 10-inch tube pan.
• Bake in a preheated 325 degree (175 C.) oven for about 60 minutes, or until the cake tests done.
• Cook cake in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out on wire rack to cool completely.
• Slice cake crosswise into 3 layers.
• Pour about 2 tbsp (30 ml) of rum over each layer.
• Butter-cream filling:
• Boil sugar and water to 238 degrees (125 C.) (soft-ball stage).
• Beat egg yolks until very light and fluffy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• While still beating the egg yolks, add the sugar syrup in a thin stream.
• Beat 5 minutes more, until very thick and doubled in bulk.
• Slowly beat in the rum.
• Beat the butter in a small bowl until soft and light.
• Beat butter into the egg mixture a little at a time.
• Continue beating until thick.
• Chill until mixture can be spread. If mixture is too soft, beat in additional butter.
• Praline topping:
• While butter-cream filling is cooking, spread 2 tbsp (30 ml) butter thickly in a 9 inch X 13 inch baking pan.
• Then in a one-quart saucepan, boil sugar and water to 238 degrees (125 C.) (soft-ball stage).
• Stir in almonds.
• Cook until mixture reaches 310 degrees (150 C.), or until syrup carmelizes.
• Pour syrup into prepared baking pan.
• When cool, break up praline and grind it in a blender for a few seconds.
• Apricot Glaze:
• Heat jam and press through a strainer or sieve to make apricot glaze.
• Assembly:
• Place bottom layer of cake on cake plate and spread with half of the butter cream.
• Repeat with second layer.
• Place third layer on top.
• Spread top and sides of cake with apricot glaze.
• Press praline powder onto glaze.
• Any remaining buttercream can be used to decorate the top of the cake.

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